Laker Nation

The Lakers are in the NBA Finals, let me say that one more time so it can stick in your head… THE LAKERS ARE IN THE NBA FINALS! A year that has brought many emotions to everyone who is a part of the Lakers Nation. From the staff to the members who chill in the Shoutbox during Laker games. I’m [...]

Phil Jackson responds to what the League had to say about the ending of Game 4… Gotta love the guy. L.A. Times: Fisher’s 17-foot shot with 6.9 seconds left appeared to graze the rim before hitting Spurs forward Robert Horry and falling out of bounds. The referees, however, said Fisher’s shot was an air ball, leaving the Lakers with only [...]

ESPN: The NBA announced to its teams this week at its annual pre-draft camp that fines will be imposed on players starting next season for clear cases of “flopping,” ESPN.com has learned. The league office has yet to determine exact fine amounts for offending flops and how fines might escalate for repeat offenders, but in-game arena observers and video reviewers [...]

Ball Don’t Lie: They’re not dead yet, San Antonio could win three straight to take the series and while I would be surprised, I wouldn’t be shocked. Let’s face facts, though: the Spurs are more or less finished. That part, though we picked the Lakers to win and know exactly why the team has San Antonio in a 3-1 hole, [...]

O.C. Register: The career-long question for Lamar Odom is this: What are you? Scorer? Rebounder? Passer? Leader? Facilitator? Main man? On nights like this, the answer is simple: Yes. Because, in the fourth game of Western Conference finals, with a howling crowd and a frowning NBA champion threatening to slither into his head, Odom went on an eight-point flurry that [...]

Both Pop & Barry (sounds like a candy shop) said that it was a no-call and no foul should have been called. What are your thoughts on the last play? Sound-off in the comments and tell us what you think! ESPN: Reserve Brent Barry had 23 points and his last-second 3-point attempt could have given the Spurs the win. He [...]

These aren’t your 2001 or 2002 Lakers. This dance doesn’t revolve around Shaquille O’Neal or only Kobe Bryant. It’s a surprising spring where, for now, everyone can follow the beat. L.A. Times: Before every Lakers game, this nut named Ronny Turiaf runs around near the bench shaking every teammate’s hand. He shakes every hand differently, a different finger wag or [...]

He takes the blame for loss, but admits that a poor shooting night ‘can’t happen.’ L.A. Times: Lamar Odom thinks he knows how to improve upon his Game 3 performance. “Dunk the basketball,” he said before practice today. “Attack the rim a little harder. Finish at the free-throw line.” Odom had seven points on two-for-11 shooting in the Lakers’ 103-84 [...]

Bill Walton has been absent from his TV duties because of hip and back problems, but he still gets his message across to his son, the Lakers’ Luke Walton. L.A. Times: The e-mails are filled with pain. Bill Walton wishes to keep the details of those e-mails private, but you don’t need to know details to understand that pain. He [...]

And you thought the Aston Martin jump was bad? Check out the latest installment of Kobe and his adventures with Nike’s Hyperdunk shoe.

ESPN: Charles Barkley is no stranger to controversy, and it appears the Round Mound of Profound has done it again. In a preview of the Western Conference finals, the TNT analyst said the current edition of the Los Angeles Lakers is the best team Kobe Bryant has been on. “This is the best team he’s ever had … even counting [...]

We’ve received a few e-mails wondering if it’s possible to go to Staples Center and watch an away Playoff game but we never had an answer, now we do… Lakers.com: The Lakers are back in the NBA Western Conference Finals and STAPLES Center is the place for fans to come and support their team while they are on the road, [...]

Great great NEWS! Lakers.com: Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today in New York, it was announced today by the team. The procedure, which took 30 minutes and was performed by Dr. David Altchek, consisted of removing some cartilage debris and smoothing some rough spots on the underside of the kneecap. Bynum [...]

Game Seven TONIGHT! Who are you rootin’ for? Sound-off in the comments and tell us what you think… O.C. Register: In honor of the number of points Kobe Bryant scored in a game with Morris Peterson as Toronto’s primary Bryant defender — and Peterson is now New Orleans’ primary Bryant defender — here are 81 reasons for the Lakers to [...]